malaria

A UK resident who grew up in Nigeria says he was told not to donate blood again after screening found malaria parasites in his blood, despite having left Nigeria twelve years earlier. He raised the case with Gilmore, prompting discussion about UK blood donation rules for people from malaria-endemic regions and how long the parasite can persist.

A Chinese startup has developed an AI-driven laser device that detects mosquitoes and fires a targeted beam to burn off their wings, knocking the insects out of the air. The system identifies targets by species using computer vision before firing, aiming to reduce mosquito-borne diseases like malaria and dengue without chemical sprays. Coverage is drawing curiosity and skepticism about whether the technology can work at scale outside lab conditions.

A new analysis attributes around 710,000 deaths in a single year to extreme heat, a toll exceeding deaths from malaria and HIV. Alongside the findings, 146 experts are calling on health authorities to formally declare climate change a global health emergency. The figures are prompting debate over whether health systems and governments are adequately prepared for intensifying heatwaves.

The Global Fund's Board has appointed Mark Dybul as its next Executive Director. Dybul, a former US global AIDS coordinator who previously led the organisation from 2013 to 2017, returns at a critical moment for global health financing, as the fund works to sustain momentum against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria amid pressure on international donor budgets.

A new study reports that targeting the 'fruitless' gene, which governs mating behaviour, could prevent mosquitoes from reproducing. Researchers suggest manipulating the gene may block courtship and mating, offering a potential method to suppress disease-carrying mosquito populations without pesticides. The findings are being widely reported across US news outlets, drawing interest for possible applications in malaria and dengue control.

Scientists are warning that climate change caused more deaths than malaria in 2023, prompting calls to formally declare a global health emergency. The comparison highlights the growing human toll of extreme heat, floods and other climate-driven disasters, and researchers argue that current policy responses do not match the scale of the crisis.

The New York Times reports on the use of AI-guided laser technology to detect and kill mosquitoes, in an effort to curb the spread of mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue. The piece is being shared widely with a gift link, drawing attention to how artificial intelligence is being applied to an old public health problem in new ways.

Workers at Frankfurt Airport have died after contracting malaria, according to German reporting. The infections are believed to be linked to their work at the airport, raising questions about how the parasite was transmitted there and about protective measures for staff. Health authorities are expected to investigate the cases, and the deaths have prompted concern about malaria reaching countries where it is not normally present.

A mosquito-killing laser system that uses artificial intelligence to detect and zap the flying insects is drawing attention after coverage in The New York Times. The device identifies mosquitoes mid-flight and destroys them with a targeted laser beam, offering a potential high-tech approach to controlling the pests that spread diseases such as malaria and dengue.

Mark Dybul, the former US Global AIDS Coordinator who helped design the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, has been appointed to lead the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The Georgetown University-affiliated announcement says he will head the multilateral funder that channels billions of dollars annually into disease programmes in low- and middle-income countries.

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has appointed Mark Dybul as its executive director. The appointment comes as the organisation faces questions over its mandate and serious funding pressures. Dybul, who previously led the US global AIDS programme PEPFAR, will now lead the fund at a pivotal moment for global health financing.

The New York Times has published a video showcasing a device that uses artificial intelligence and lasers to detect and kill mosquitoes in mid-flight. The technology identifies the insects visually before firing a laser to take them down, offering a chemical-free approach to mosquito control and the diseases they spread, such as malaria and dengue.